The invention relates to an apparatus for performing tests and measurements on various liquid samples, in particular sera.
A known apparatus of this kind comprises a first chain conveyor containing a series of receptacles. Indefinite quantities of the samples to be tested are each introduced into one of these receptacles. The receptacles are led by the conveyor through a first station in which a definite quantity of each sample is transferred to a second conveyor also provided with a series of receptacles. Usually, a buffer reagent is added to each sample during the transfer. The second conveyor may also be a chain conveyor, or it may be a rotatable disc. The receptacles of the second conveyor are led through a second station in which a starting reagent is added to each sample, after which the receptacles are led through a third station, in which the reaction mixture in each receptacle is either removed by suction to be measured, or directly measured in its receptacle, according to the construction of the receptacles.
The known apparatus has the disadvantage that the samples may not be introduced into the first conveyor in an arbitrary order. In fact, the samples to be subjected to a same measurement must be placed one behind the other in the first conveyor. In addition, the known apparatus takes up much space.